oonowindoo

You have come a long way since your Accord days... Good pickup

Aman

I owe you guys an update:


I should have updated this thread sooner, but things have sort of gotten away from me this winter. The weather was nice enough today for a quick wash and wax, so I decided to take some photos as well. I moved into a new place a few months ago. Having an attached garage for the first time and a hose hookup has been awesome.


The car has been doing fine. The hatchback has been great for moving. I drove around with the back seats folded full-time for about a month, just moving things from the old place to the new place during free weeknights and weekends. It's otherwise been in use mostly as a commuter in the six months I've had it for so far. I was planning on jumping into autocross and lapping days this summer. Not sure how likely that is to happen now.

Car works fine as a commuter, but maybe not as great as the VW was. The biggest drawback is the small fuel tank. The Passat had a usable range of more than 800kms, this can muster 500kms per tank occasionally. I usually fuel up more than once a week. Consider the thick seats and shorter wheelbase, and my car isn't generally a number one choice for long road trips. All of this is fine - the important thing is that it remains good at what I want it to be good at.





A few months ago, I received a special package from the Washington DC area, courtesy of our favorite friend with two first names:


@charliemike did exactly what he offered to do, and more. He gifted me his Accessport, a mount, multiple faceplates, and cables to connect to both the car and my computer. In short, everything I would need, and then some. He even covered shipping to me in Canada.


It takes a special kind of generosity to gift several hundred dollars' worth of hardware to someone you've never met in person in a different country. Thanks, CM. I'll pay it forward.



I promptly flashed the car with Cobb's OTS Stage 1, while I collect parts to go with a tune from a third party company down the line. The increased power and throttle response is obviously noticeable, and I still have a lot to learn about everything that can be monitored.

I'm excited to see what the car will do with a tune written by someone with more experience with this motor. The current plan is to collect an intercooler, intake, and a set of colder spark plugs, then reach out to Stratified. They're a Canadian company that seems to be one of the most popular tune suppliers for this platform. They're reasonably priced and can get me something written specifically with my collection of modifications.

I had the chance to pick up some parts before things shut down. I bought and quickly installed a Steeda short shift arm sometime in January. I didn't take any photos of the part or install. Here's a stock photo:



Installation was fairly straightforward. Interior work is nice because you can keep clean for the most part. It does as advertised (shortens shift throws). I have it at its shortest setting, though I kind of wish the throws were even shorter. I think I'd like some stiffer shift bushings down the line as well.


More recently, I managed to pick these two items up on the same day about a month ago now:


They're Vogtland springs. I was lucky to find them somewhat locally, and brand-new. These are supposed to give a 25mm drop. Unfortunately, they're sitting in my living room for the time being. I don't think they'll be put on until things settle down globally.

This is the bigger-ticket item:


A Mountune FMIC - not quite as new as the springs, as you can see. A painted black intercooler with some rock chips probably wouldn't be my first choice, but sometimes you're at the mercy of the market. This came up for the right price and the brand's got a reputation for quality parts. I've got all the time in the world to figure out the right way to touch this up before installing it. Intercoolers are apparently the number one weakness on these cars, so I'm glad to have this purchase out of the way.

Those are the big things that have happened so far during my ownership. My work is partially shut down, and I'm home for the time being (not complaining). That means pretty much all purchases and most installations are on hold until we've got some kind of grasp on normal again. Springs won't be installed anytime soon, that saves me a trip to pick up spring compressors and a trip to the alignment shop. I might put the intercooler on if I decide to touch it up.

The snowflake wheels go back on next week. Some cars look good on steelies, but I really am not a fan of how it looks right now. In the 6 months I've owned this thing, it's been on winter tires for more than 5. It'll be nice to see it on real wheels (and tires) again.

Hope everyone is staying safe.

Costco

whoa, somehow missed the last update! Congrats!!

Had a chance to drive a Focus ST for several hours, it’s a great daily and really fun to drive. I really lamented Ford killing off their passenger car lineup, because the STs and RS were very interesting options in their segments

Not surprised in the least that you’re enjoying it, especially with the accessport. OTS tunes are great bang for your buck and you can easily recoup what you spent when you move on

Some quality parts you got assembled there, enjoy them

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Is there a reason why a downpipe isn't in the plans? Wouldn't that be the most obvious bang for your buck or is it too scary to go catless in Canada?
Awesome update and a big to @charliemike . I love people with big hearts.
Keep on keeping on! I would have those springs on by lunch!

Costco

Totally meant to give props and forgot. @charliemike for such a kind gesture!

Aman

Thanks man, I appreciate it. No car is perfect, but this one is great at the "fun-to-drive" part, I think.

Funnily enough, Ontario stopped emissions testing altogether last year. I think I'd still go catted this time around if I decided to get a downpipe.

The temptation to slap on these parts is real. I don't like seeing them in the living room when they should be on the car!

I'm trying to approach things with a mindset of tackling the biggest bottlenecks at any given time. On this car, it looks to be intercooler, tune, intake, then downpipe. I want to see how satisfied I am with the right tune and upgraded intake/intercooler first, then evaluate the next biggest impact items. I'd love to do a proper mechanical LSD and bigger brakes down the line. The Focus RS front Brembos are bolt-on, but my 16in winter tires and spares wouldn't fit.

Charliemike is awesome. Period.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I'm limited in my turbrah experience but on that brown 2.0t audi...
removing the cat to be replaced with a straight pipe really woke the damn car up...could hear the turbo and all.

RPhilMan1

Hearing the turbo whistle is addicting. I love my high-flow cat and when I had to reinstall the stock DP for emissions it's a bummer when the whistle gets muted like that.

Great to hear you are doing well, Aman! IC is a great upgrade.

Aman

Update!



I've had my Focus ST for exactly one year, one month and a couple of days. In a word, I would describe the ownership experience as: Fun. I've installed some parts, taken it on trips and fun roads, and generally enjoyed myself with it. It's a serviceable daily driver if not the greatest, but it more than makes up for it in driving pleasure. The one thing I haven't yet done is taken it to autocross or HPDEs. Hopefully next year.

I got the mountune intercooler installed in the spring. When I bought it, it needed some TLC:



I was fortunate enough to find a stencil locally, which I was really hoping for. In progress:


Setting up the car:

Installed:

Yeah... can't see shit . All that work for nothing. Oh well. The intercooler is a known weak point on these cars, and the real value is just having a bigger aftermarket one that doesn't heat soak. This intercooler is also supposed to come with a horn relocation bracket, which mine didn't come with.

I improvised by going with Hella Horns. These are the Sharptones (yellow, lower pitch). These are available on Amazon now for like $40 or something. Cheap. I couldn't quite get on board with the pitch on the red Sharptones, and I actually like the yellow on blue. Gives me an excuse to look like the cool Subaru kids. No install photos - it's really not very difficult, but you've got to be okay with a little bit of carnage. I cut off the factory horn connector and spliced these in. Also had to drill into the bumper for mounting. Some areas on the bumper are much stronger than a hand drill. Some areas aren't.

I thought they would look a bit tacky, but I really like how they came out. Only thing that bothered me was the factory painted bumper that stands out - I wish I could've painted it black, but it bothers me less these days. Still think the horns look cool though:

A hatchback is quite handy for stealing a chair from the office, or delivering a front lip for FRSs:




I went on a solo road trip to Lake Superior Provincial Park in Northern Ontario around early August. No social media for 3 days (which is a long time for me). It was great to step back and really isolate mentally for a few days. I want to do that more often. The car did all right, all things considered. A small gas tank, short wheelbase and snug seats aren't the ideal combination for a road trip, but I was definitely more comfortable than I expected to be:




I stopped and visited a friend in Sudbury, Ontario along the way. Sudbury is a big mining town, mostly nickel. Its famous attraction is... a giant nickel. Upon close inspection, the giant nickel appears to be made from stainless steel:



"Entering" the park. You follow Highway 17 to get here, a coastal road with lots of stops to admire the view.The west side is all beach along the Superior Coast, the east side is all forestry with some cool hiking. I initially planned on doing a big loop for this trip, but after passing through the park I decided to turn back around and return the way I came, stopping in the areas I missed before.


My photo isn't doing the view justice at all:


About 20 minutes north of the park is the town of Wawa. This was my overnight halt. Wawa's famous attraction is a giant goose. This is supposed to be visible from the highway and attract people to the town. Apparently. I missed it on the first pass:



Wawa is one of those small towns with a population of less than 1000 people, yet everyone seems to have some connection to it. I actually kind of liked it. It's got an interesting history.

Stupid little fuel tank and 26mpg means I have to take these signs seriously:


I made a 15-minute detour to say I visited Beech Beach. 7/10. Any beach is automatically a 7/10 minumum:



Home, and back to real life. I found a shift knob from the face-lifted STs. I'm really not a fan of the squared-off knob that came on my car:



This CF one feels much nicer and is definitely an upgrade. I think I still want something different though. I want my shift knob to be some machined piece of art that's a conversation starter. I've been admiring wearelikewise's work out of Australia. Just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Shipping from Down Under kind of scares me. They probably charge extra for flipping the package right side up.

The car had gradually had an issue idling when cold. It decided to quit on me one morning and not start back up again:


Codes for fuel pressure and O2 sensor. Those all sound expensive. The solution ended up being a $36 purge valve that's stocked at the dealer. 20 minutes and an evening beer later, and all was well:



I bought these 20mm and 25mm spacers for the car and did a test fit. I didn't mind how it looked (poked a bit much for me). But for some reason my mind wouldn't let me get over using these adapter-style spacers. It was impacting the way I drove, and what good is this car if I wasn't comfortable sending it wherever?



That's how it looked. The wheels are back to regular-sunk now, but I can yeet it again guilt-free.


So that's one season down with the car. The winter steelies are back on for another 5 months of dark cold gloom. I'm in a good place with the car these days. The car is cheap enough that I don't feel as if it owns me, but it does everything I want and need a car to do. Can't ask for much more

SamDoe1

Awesome man, this is great to see. Glad you're enjoying every mile you can in this thing.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Great updates man! I love road trips, especially in a fun car, and no social media sounds nice. Very nice. to many more miles in the ST.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Aman so happy to see you enjoying yourself and your car.

You deserve it.

Yeet on.

Aman

Thanks guys. Appreciate the well wishes. The car has been good to me so far. I'm learning to acknowledge things that just work as advertised.

Aman

My pretty Hella horns stopped working the other day.

Fuse looks fine, I haven't checked the relay yet but more than likely my wiring job wasn't up to snuff against the cold and salt. I'm trying to avoid having to pull the bumper again but it will likely be necessary.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

rust sucks

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

That blows, no pun intended.

fiatlux

I had the same thing happen to mine, and I'm not even in an area with salt. You really have to make sure the connections are sealed well with dielectric grease; I evidently didn't apply enough, resulting in a bunch of corrosion after a couple years.

Aman

New tire day today. Yokohama Advan Apex, in 245/40/18 (factory is 235). I'm in a good mood seeing the snowflakes back on. I do like these wheels:



Things are going pretty smooth over here, so I'm enjoying that while it lasts. I fixed the horns once it started to warm up last month. Going to do a coolant flush and brake bleed sometime soon. I'm hopeful for another summer of more time driving than wrenching.

oonowindoo

I like the donut in your avatar more

JK....

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Car looks good.
Is that your garage?
I have day dreams about beautiful garages like that in other cuntries.

Aman

They might be going back on The weather forecast is calling for temperatures below freezing and snowfall soon. I might have to take the car out and don't want to do so on the summers if it's that cold.

Thanks dood.

The garage is mine, as far as anything in a rental house "belongs" to me. It's nothing fancy (believe me), but I'm fortunate to have a good spot for my car and tools. Always want more, right?

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

Looks nice. Those are fun cars.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Always want more is right.

Aman

After being on the fence for far too long, I pulled the trigger on a blow-off valve. It doesn't make the car faster, but it sounds cool and that makes it fun. UPS dropped it off this morning!


GFB vent to atmosphere BOV, and a sound symposer block-off plate from Cobb. The sound symposer is plumbed from the intake manifold to the cabin. I don't like it - it's flimsy and gets in the way when working under the hood. It will be nice to have it out of the way, and the block-off plate comes with a fitting to turn it into a vacuum source (for say, plumbing a BOV).

I'm unsure if I want the BOV to use true vacuum at the intake manifold, or keep it plumbed same as the factory diverter valve, which is attached to a computer-controlled solenoid. Apparently solenoid-actuated has the BOV sounding off much too often.

Either way, this is getting installed as soon as I'm off work.

RPhilMan1

Congrats! It's fun having the BoV put a smile on your face. Whatever makes your commute that much more fun.

Makes summertime windows-down driving a blast.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

If you went manifold pressure, does that require a retune? The gen 3 ea888s don't like BOVs, especially if they mess with the electronic actuator.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Pssssssssssshhhhhhhh Should make driving a lot more fun!

Aman

BOV is on Install was kind of a PITA. It's behind the passenger wheel, and it was tricky to contort myself around the suspension and brakes. But it's in and sounds great.

Just in time for windows down weather to arrive! When we first started the car with the wheel off, it was loud. But driving around town, I'm pretty satisfied with its volume. Audible but not obnoxious.

That's a good question. I don't know. I think I've decided to leave it solenoid-actuated, but that could require a re-tune as well. As I understand it, the OEM BPV spring is soft enough that it's typically either fully open or fully closed. The same wouldn't hold true for an adjustable BOV.

In any case, a tune is my next step I think. The car has been on a Cobb OTS which is fine, but I've been meaning to experiment with a flash from Stratified or JST.

Aman

Could I get a mod to update the thread title please? "Aman's 2013 Focus ST" would be great.

oonowindoo

Turbo spinning, boost building and Pshhhh... I sometimes tried to duplicate the sound with my gas pedal ( reach certain RPM then faster release).

i could almost hear it when it is really late at night with no other cars around

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

cut the catalytic out

Aman

Going catless is tempting, but I think it'll bring too much unwanted attention. It already kinda smells/spits soot under WOT. Can only imagine what it would be like without the cat.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

attention is good. why didn't our parents realize that?

Costco

Been very busy, oops. I noticed you have something new in your sig...

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Ooof. I mean, congrats.(?)

Aman

You can at least be confident I know what I'm getting into with it.

I picked this up off a friend a few days ago. It's a 2013 Subaru BRZ. It's got 150K miles on it and I paid $7500 CDN:



I bought this because it was a good opportunity to try something new. It's not perfect, but it drives well and is pretty clean underneath. For $7500 I can't complain much I'm going to clean it up and take more photos/get into more detail with it, but that's what's new over here. I'm excited. Learning a new car is a lot of fun.

00TL-P3.2

Apart from the mileage (or is that 150k km / ~94k mi?), looks clean & seems pretty cheap

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Has the valve spring recall been done yet?

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Is this in addition to?
Is it manual?
VERY nice!

Aman

150k miles, or 240k kms. Valve spring recall was done along with a fresh clutch about 20K kms ago. Manual, and I think I'll be selling the Focus. The cars are very different in execution but similar in purpose to me. That said, I'm in no huge rush to get rid of it. I can wait for the right price.